The 2016 awards took place at the Palace Theatre in London, hosted by the award’s founder Andrew Lloyd Webber. The visitor centre, which was opened to the public in May, was chosen from 20 restoration projects across the country in the public vote category, and the award was presented to the Clevedon Pier and Heritage Trust by Downtown Abbey writer, Julian Fellowes.

“We are delighted to see that the hard work of our team and our construction and design partners has been recognised,” says Marc Bayley, our Beard Swindon director. “The design of the visitor centre, which is made up of two floors set underground and features a glass-panelled restaurant, is the perfect mix of modern innovative ideas that complement existing historic designs. It was a pleasure to work on such a long-standing part of North Somerset’s history.”

Simon Talbot-Ponsonby, chairman of the Clevedon Pier and Heritage Trust, says: “We’re so lucky in Clevedon with all the support of the community that saved the pier from demolition. We built a beautiful modern structure at this Grade I-listed pier which will make it sustainable for the future. I want it to be a tribute to Clevedon.”

This year’s Beard trainee programme has seen us take seven more students, who are looking to underpin the learning from their studies, with practical hand-on experience during a year-out from… read more →